


Left Behind

by VicenteValtieri



Series: A Thousand Lives Unlived [1]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Sparklings, Whatifstory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-10-25 02:41:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 4,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10755054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VicenteValtieri/pseuds/VicenteValtieri
Summary: So, I know what you're thinking: VicenteValtieri, now that Starscream's Sparklings is coming to a close and it seems you have taken complete leave of your senses, what are you going to do now?This series is the answer to that burning question. It's a series of "what-if" scenarios based on the dumb-aft decisions my characters make. This first one is pretty obvious: What if Starscream had left Orion behind?So, last night, I was having one too many cream sodas and I asked myself that question. This is the result. Now, since I'm not entirely insane, just mostly, I won't be updating this one as regularly as my currently active stories.Also note: Starscream's Sparklings is the actual universe. None of this stuff is "real" to that universe. Think of it as a series of alternates and keep in mind that the endings on most of these are happy.I say most of these because there's going to be a few sad ones in the mix. I can see it already.





	1. Choices

If Starscream Had Abandoned Orion:

Starscream kissed his sparkling on his helm for the last time and left him in Desiree’s capable hands. 

Flying back to the Nemesis, he felt empty in more ways than one. He faced his decision with resolution. He had done the right thing. He knew that. 

But the right thing was ripping a hole in his spark. 

Even Orion’s weight, normally such a burden to the fastest flyer to take wing, was missed and grieved over.

But he had to do what was best, for his Seekers and his child, and that meant suffering as a result. 

Starscream reached the Nemesis and shouldered his way in. Megatron was waiting, his arms folded and his expression stern.

“Not now, My Lord.” Starscream brushed past him without stopping. “I can’t deal with you right now.”

Maybe Megatron had some idea of what the Seeker was going through, maybe he was just stunned, but for whatever reason, he let Starscream go. 

Starscream returned to his quarters, large and empty without Skywarp or Thundercracker, and Orion gone. Flopping onto the berth, he buried his faceplates in the pillow and cried himself to recharge. 

He didn’t get up in the morning and turned off his comm unit when Megatron and Soundwave tried to call.

About halfway through the day, the door opened suddenly, and pedes stepped close to his berth. He recognized the pedesteps. “Go away.”

Skywarp sighed and sat on the berth beside him. “You okay?”

“Do I look okay, Skywarp?” Starscream responded. “Go away.”

Skywarp was silent for a long moment. “You lost it?”

Starscream lifted his enertear-streaked helm. “You knew?”

“It was hard not to, Screamer.” Skywarp responded. “The extra plating and the metal supplements gave you away.”

Starscream laid his helm back in the pillow. “Oh.”

“So, what happened?”

“I lost it is a good way to put it, Skywarp.”

Skywarp was silent again. Then, he laid something on the table beside Starscream’s berth. “I brought you a box of energon treats. I thought you might be hungry.”

Starscream was hungry. His tanks were fussing at him. 

Skywarp ran an almost-affectionate servo over Starscream’s wing and left.

Starscream sat up and picked up the box of energon treats. Skywarp must have raided them from the Autobot base. 

He ate until his tank stopped complaining and then laid down again. Orion, Orion… Where are you now?


	2. The Sire

Jazz carried the little triple-changer into the Autobot base, accompanied by the human midwife, who had insisted on coming. 

Optimus Prime met them at the entrance to the base. “Jazz, Desiree. May I see the sparkling?”

“Of course.” Jazz unwrapped Orion and showed him to the Prime.

Optimus froze, hardly daring to breath. “Give him to me, Jazz.” 

Jazz frowned. “All right, Prime.” He handed over the sparkling, placing him in Optimus’s trembling servos.

The convoy mech cupped the infant close to his body. “Desiree, may I speak to you in my office?” Optimus asked the blonde human.

“Sure.” Desiree responded, climbing down off of Jazz. “Thanks for the ride.”

“You’re welcome.” Jazz responded, watching Optimus and Desiree retreat into the Prime’s office. 

Optimus cradled Orion to his chassis and watched, enchanted, as the infant put his thumb into his intake and sucked.

“He might be hungry soon.” Desiree told the convoy. “Generally, infants like to eat soon after they’re born.”

Optimus idly reached over to the somm and activated it. “Ratchet, we need some sparkling-grade energon.”

“Sparkling grade? Why, Prime?” Ratchet responded. 

“We have a sparkling to take care of of, Ratchet. Just bring a bottle to my office.” Optimus told his doctor. Then, he turned to the human. “Well, I suppose you have a story you could tell.”

“I do indeed.” Desiree crossed her arms. “Yours, I take it.”

Optimus turned his face back to the sparkling with his blue helm and red chassis. The white and red winglets had unfurled on the trip up and were shining softly in the light. “Mine.”

“Funny that. The mech who brought him had a purple badge on his wings.” Desiree sat criss-cross on the desk. “Wanna talk about it?”

“I do, but I don’t think you’d want to listen.”

“Au Contraire. I’m a sucker for a forbidden love story.”

Ratchet came in with the bottle and set it on Optimus’s desk. “That’s the little one?”

“He is.” Optimus replied to the medic. “Do you mind giving us a moment, Ratchet? I’m talking to Desiree.”

“All right, but bring the bitlet to the medbay as soon as possible.” Ratchet folded his arms. “I’ll want to run scans and a paternity test.”

“Thank you, Ratchet. We’ll be down in a bit.” Optimus waited until Ratchet was out of the room to turn back to Desiree. “What do you want to know?”

“Everything.” Desiree responded. “I got time.”

So, Optimus told her everything.


	3. Starscream

Eventually, Starscream had to get up and face the rest of the Nemesis. About the third day of his self-imposed stay in his quarters, he appeared on the bridge, only to find that one of his subordinates was in his duty spot.

Megatron looked up when Starscream entered. “Starscream, you aren’t logged for a return to duty for another seven cycles.”

“Oh?” Starscream questioned. “Why is that, My Lord?”

“You were logged for grievance leave, death of offspring.” Megatron had an almost paternal tone as he reminded the other. “You have the rest of the decacycle off.”

Starscream was still for a long moment, frowning. It wasn’t like Megatron to be kind and Starscream hadn’t filed for grievance leave. “Thank you, my Lord. I must have forgotten.”

“Understandable. You’re dismissed.” The bridge returned to its rhythms and Starscream left, going to his lab to work. He needed to keep busy with his servos.

While he was at it, he mused over Megatron’s strange behavior. Why was the warlord being so kind to him? Of course, he knew the warlord wanted him. It would solidify the union between Vos and the Decepticons and an heir with wings was a coveted dream of his. Starscream had refused his advances, though, and it seemed he had allowed the topic to drop. 

Perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to concede to the silver tyrant. It would remove the crisis Starscream had felt when he had been with Optimus. He loved the convoy, though, and not the tank. It put him in a bind. 

Maybe it would be worth it to bear silver and black servos for a sparkling he could keep. Half the army thought they were fragging already. Even Optimus had thought he was fragging Megatron.


	4. Desiree's Thoughts

Desiree was a good listener. She was also a good thinker and could read between the lines. “So, you need to get into contact with your Seeker.”

“He hasn’t returned any of my comms. I think he cycled his frequency.” Optimus shook his helm. “He didn’t want me to know about Orion while he was carrying. He won’t want to see me now.”

“I don’t think so.” Desiree leaned on one fist. “I spent some time in the Joes, you know, and I saw some stuff. I think your Seeker wants to believe that he doesn’t want to see you, but actually does. He seems like he’s in a hard position, but that shouldn’t stand between you. I mean, you two have a sparkling now. It changes things.”

Optimus nodded. “You’re right, but I still don’t know how I’ll get to talk to him.”

“You guys have battles. Pin him down and whisper in his ear.” Desiree waved a hand in dismissal. 

Optimus chuckled. “It can’t be that simple.”


	5. The Warlord's Approach

Near the end of the decacycle, Megatron came to see Starscream in his laboratory. “I told Hook it was mine.”

Starscream’s servos stilled over his beakers. 

The silver warlord walked up beside the smaller flyer. “As a courtesy, do you mind telling me whose it was?”

“It was a he.” Starscream bit out. “And his Creator was… was…” He buried his helm in his hands. “An Autobot.”

“I suspected as much.” Megatron mused. 

“Go ahead and beat me. I don’t care.” Starscream snarled back.

“Why would I beat you?” Megatron calmly asked. 

“Why do you usually?” The Seeker retorted.

“Because I know you can take it.” Megatron calmly replied. “And because you are both treacherous and ambitious, not a good combination. You might have noticed that I stopped once I realized you were sparked. I may be cruel, but I won’t be responsible for a sparkling’s death.”

“Not directly.” Starscream responded, his words barbed.

“You are insisting on provoking me.” Megatron observed. “What did happen, by the by?”

“I went out for a flight and…” He gestured helplessly, not wanting to lie directly and be called out on it.

“I see. So it is dead.”

Starscream was silent.

“Then that is punishment enough, don’t you think?” Megatron idly toyed with a beaker.

Starscream found himself mutely nodding. He didn’t know which would be worse. If Orion had actually been born dead, he might have ripped his own spark out. But there was a creeping, dull ache now that was getting worse by the day.

Megatron dropped a gentle hand onto Starscream’s wing. “Take as long as you need to recover. We will speak again soon.”

“Of course, Lord Megatron.” The gunformer’s absence left Starscream with a slick, sickly feeling.


	6. Autobot

As decacycles passed, Optimus noted that Starscream hadn’t returned to the battlefield. He wondered what had happened to the Seeker as he and Megatron duked it out.

Orion was growing into a happy, healthy sparkling, though he still cried sometimes, in the night, and Optimus could not soothe him.

Ratchet knew by then and most of the officers, that Orion was Optimus’s. It had caused Prowl to glitch hard, but he had accepted it in the end.

Still, all of Desiree’s advice was useless because Starscream would not call him and he could not contact the Seeker.

Jazz reported that the Seeker was still on grievance leave “death of offspring.” The revelation that Starscream was acting as if their son was dead saddened Optimus. Still, he held out hope that what Desiree said was true and he should just keep trying.

Desiree herself was hanging around the Autobot base, learning from Ratchet and talking about a neutral clinic. A place for mechs to give birth away from the war.


	7. Interface

Starscream agreed to come to Megatron’s quarters one evening. He knew what the warlord wanted. He knew what he would demand.

“Sit down, Starscream.” Megatron invited. His quarters were luxurious. 

Starscream walked around the table to the couch the gun-former was sitting on and sat beside him.

Megatron raised an optical ridge, but didn’t comment on it. “I invited you here to talk about something that…” He went on through his whole spiel all over again as if Starscream hadn’t heard it before. Finally, the Seeker set down his cube.

“Shut up.” He told the warlord.

“Excuse me?” Megatron questioned.

“Shut up.” Starscream climbed into his lap. 

“I see.” Megatron’s optics burned with mixed lust and triumph and Starscream wondered what he was agreeing to.

Starscream spread his legs and opened his panel and cockpit. The coupling was warm and full of rough passion, but the Seeker could be forgiven for pretending the servos tracing him were blue.


	8. Desiree was GI JOE All Along!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She's also turning into Camilla's Carnelian. I'll have to take care that she doesn't get too unrealistic.

It was decacyles later that Starscream received word of Orion and Optimus and it came from a rather unexpected source.

He was lying down in his quarters, one servo resting over his gestation tank, when he heard cursing and someone began struggling up over the edge of the berth. Folding his wings, he turned over to look.

Desiree appeared over the side, pulled herself up onto the mattress, and heaved several breaths. “I’m not as young as I used to be.”

“Desiree? What are you doing here?”

“Delivering a message. Give a mo’ gotta catch my breath.” When she had recovered from her climb, she reached into her breast and pulled out a tiny picture with a message written on the back. “Here we are. Cupid express makes another delivery.”

Starscream took the small picture and studied it. It was of Optimus, cradling their Sparkling close to his chassis. On the back, he had written, “We miss you. -Optimus.” It was barely legible.

Starscream’s spark swelled with joy and pain. “You shouldn’t have brought me this. I’m not… I can’t be with them.”

“Why?” Desiree batted her eyelashes.

“Because… How did you even get in here anyway?” Starscream changed the subject.

“Evasive of you. I snuck in.”

“I thought you were a midwife.” He was impressed.

“I did five years in a specialized commando group called GI Joe.” Desiree shrugged. “It’s been a while, but I still know some stuff.”

“I see. Not to be rude, but you should leave. It isn’t safe for humans here.”

“Tell me about it. You know how often I’ve almost been stepped on on my way here?”

“I would recommend the vents, if you feel the need to snoop around.” Starscream replied. Standing, he picked Desiree up and gently set her inside the one high above his bed. “But don’t come back. It’s not safe.”

“Safety is over-rated.” Desiree flippantly replied and vanished into the darkness.


	9. Desiree's Visits

Desiree’s visits became once every seven cycles, a human week as Starscream knew it. She always brought a new, tiny photography of Optimus and Orion together. She had taken to spidering down a suspended wire from the vent. It was much easier for her that way.

“So, then, Wheeljack, he said, ‘But the paint was this can, what did you use?’ and Sunstreaker, he said, ‘What? I used the paint that you set on the counter.’ Well, I bet you know what happened next.” Desiree laughed and Starscream joined her.

Desiree climbed up onto Starscream and patted his cheekplate. “You’d love it at the Ark.”

Starscream’s faceplates turned sad. “No, I wouldn’t.”

“Why not?” Desiree pouted, folding her arms. “Your love is there. Your sparkling is there. You’re in danger here. Buckethead isn’t stupid and Orion will grow. He’s going to find out, put two and two together, and you’ll be slagged.”

Starscream was silent for a long moment. “Maybe you ought to ask around the Ark what Seekers are thought of.”

“Maybe I will.” Desiree agreed.


	10. Autobot Opinions

Desiree began with Ironhide. “Damnable flyers. A pox on their wings. They’ve always been odd. Should have never been formed.”

Ratchet was no better. “In my processor, I tell myself they’re just mechs like you and me. In my spark, they’re different. I’ll fix a Seeker because that’s what I do, but I’ve never liked one.”

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe’s answer was graphic, crude, and not fit to be repeated.

Even Optimus was off. “Starscream is a wonderful person in an exotic and difficult frametype. I love him with all my spark, but his brethren…”

Prowl humphed. “Seekers have no self-control.”

Jazz shook his helm. “Desiree, Seekers are-“

Desiree burst into a tirade. “Seekers are more accepting and open than any one of you self-important bastards!” She used a lot more words that the author is not allowed to say and frankly not sure how to spell. “With attitudes like the lot of you have, it’s no wonder you’ve been fighting for 4 million years! I thought the human race was bad about a war, but at least ours die out quickly!” And off she stomped to visit Starscream.

“They’re all awful. Can I become a Decepticon?” She asked the Seeker, fuming on the edge of his berth.

“You wouldn’t like it as a Decepticon.” Starscream put to her.

“I know.” She flopped on her front. “But I can’t- I can’t take that kind of prejudice, Star.”

“Decepticons are prejudiced against organics.”

“Whatever.” Desiree sighed, cupping her face. “I still think you and Optimus should give a relationship a go.”

Starscream shook his helm. “You could never understand all the reasons not too, Desiree.”

“Never gonna understand if no one explains.” The commando sighed.


	11. Desiree

Desiree took to hanging out with Wheeljack after her impromptu survey of the Autobot ranks. The lab was full of interesting information and charts of data that she could absorb to her human heart’s content.

Further, the scientist was more open-minded than his fellows in that he had no opinion on Seekers as a whole. “Mechs are mechs.” He shrugged when Desiree questioned him. “We all have glitches and good sparks.”

He quickly became her favorite of the bunch, Bumblebee a close second.

She also took to studying the cables on a mech’s neck. They fascinated her with their intricate patterns and lacings in and out.


	12. The Truth Comes Out

Of course, in the weeks that passed, it was inevitable that Megatron would find out about Optimus and Orion.

Starscream was admiring his newest photograph from Desiree when Megatron entered his chamber. The Seeker quickly slipped the photograph under his frame, hoping that the warlord wouldn’t be too handsy. “My lord.”

“Starscream.” Megatron’s optics were glittering with suspicion. “What is it you have there?”

“Nothing, My lord.” Starscream forced himself to sit up, hoping the human picture was lost to sight in the folds of his berth. “The sparklings are doing well, my Lord.”

“Hmm. Indeed.” Megatron’s servo darted out, quick as lightning. Starscream cried out and reached for the photograph, but Megatron batted him away.

Starscream froze in a cowering position, trying to position himself over his gestation tank as Megatron studied the photograph. 

“I think, Starscream, that we should have a talk about your sparkling.” Megatron dropped a pede onto Starscream’s left wing and squished it flat to the floor. Starscream howled at the vicious blow.

Megatron continued stomping the Seeker into oblivion while the Seeker cried out and begged for his sparklings.

Finally, the beating stopped and a silence fell that Starscream would have given anything to break.

Megatron loomed over him, fusion canon aimed for the coup de grace. Starscream cowered and clutched his gestation tank.

Megatron made a fist with his servo. “I have never deliberately offlined a carrying mech and I will not start now.” He hissed. “You are to be kept, under arrest, in these quarters until the sparklings arrive. When they do, I will hand you over to Tarn to be dealt with.”

Starscream gasped.

“If you protest or attempt to escape, you will be offlined and the sparklings with you. I will not be responsible for their sparks.”

The Seeker bowed his helm and nodded.


	13. Ravage

Of course, all Megatron’s Triple-changers and all Megatron’s mechs couldn’t keep Desiree from visiting Starscream on the week. “You look the worse for wear.” She told the healing Seeker.

“Desiree.” Starscream lifted his helm. “Megatron found out about Orion.”

“We caught Ravage sneaking around his nursery. Figured he had seen something he shouldn’t have.”

“Ravage is a she.” Starscream corrected.

“Oh, whatever.” Desiree flippantly replied. “He, she, it saw something she shouldn’t have.”

“I realize.” Starscream responded. “But Megatron has me under arrest in my quarters and Desiree… he’s called Tarn to come and deal with me after they’re born.”

Desiree’s eyes flicked. The Autobots must have mentioned the name. “We are in a pickle, then, Star. Yes, we are.”


	14. Autobot Plot

Desiree carried the news back to Optimus, who was bereaved for Starscream. “We have to get him out of there.”

“Easier said than done, boss.” Jazz replied. “Starscream is under pretty heavy guard by some big-swinging mechs.”

“Frontliners?”

“Yeah, Blitzwing and Barricade.”

“So stage a battle.” Desiree suggested, pacing the table in front of them. “A big fight, no holds barred, all frontliners out on each hand. Make it an invitation Megs can’t refuse. Then, while the big guys are fighting, take a bunch of little guys and move in on yon fair Seeker.”

Prowl picked up a datapad and began tapping. “I have an idea.”

“Go ahead, Prowl.” Optimus invited his second to speak.

“Megatron has an obsession with human prototype weaponry. This will require collaboration from the US Government, but I believe that if we can convince a laboratory to put out a report about a new prototype and then to send a request to us for transfer guard, a convoy, we can lure Megatron out and send a small strike team into the Decepticon base to retrieve Starscream.”

“I can get GI Joe’s Q to put out a report and ask for guards, but we’ll have to move fast.” Desiree warned. “Starscream is under extreme stress and, from what I’ve gleaned of Cybertronian biology, at a delicate stage in his carrying. Further, Megatron beat him severely, concentrated in the wings and upper torso. He doesn’t appear to have been repaired properly. All of these factors will put severe stress on the sparklings and triple the chances of a miscarriage.”

“Then ask Q, as you put it, to make a report.” Optimus replied.

“Can do. Don’t worry about that. I know where all the bodies are buried.” Desiree walked off, pulling out a human communicator and sliding down off of the table.

“Prowl, brief the troops.” Optimus pushed back from the table. “Gentlemechs, let’s save a Seeker.”


	15. Cycles Of Life

Desiree sat criss-cross on the floor of her country home in New Mexico. It was all coming full circle. Her stint in GI Joe, killing people, her life as a midwife, bringing people into the world, it all came back together. 

Maybe she had always been meant to be both killer and life-giver.

She stood up and went outside. In GI Joe, she had ridden a motorcycle. A black thing with armored sides. As a midwife, she drove a silver car: Sensible and civilian.

It was time to upgrade her vehicle.


	16. Motorcycle

Wheeljack looked down when he heard the sound of a motorcycle engine. Optimus had allowed Desiree to drive inside the base for as long as she had been a part of their company. “Sweet ride, Desiree.”

Desiree chuckled. “She is nice isn’t she? Keep your servos off, you lecherous glitch.” She swung down from the silver speedster with its sidecare. The beautiful little vehicle was practically glowing with new beauty.

“So, what’s with the vehicle change?”

“No real reason. Thought it was time for something a little faster.”

“Huh, I see. Want to see my newest invention?”

“Yes. Especially if it blows up.” Desiree climbed up onto the counter.


	17. Reconsideration

Starscream was in pain. His sparklings were oddly still and his gestation tank felt thick and hard with extra fluid. 

He lay on his side and kept his optics open, staring into the dark. He didn’t want to die. He didn’t want his sparklings to die.

He was a fool. He was such a fool.

His flyers had abandoned him. No one would listen to him. He had been in such a twist for so long over how he would have to abandon his sparkling and it was all for nothing because no one cared.

There was fluid dribbling down his thighs. He let it. It was time. 

“Good-bye, Optimus. I hope Megatron doesn’t send you the footage when Tarn is done with me.” Starscream whispered into the dark and reached down, opened his modesty panel, and let fluid pour.


	18. They Go

While Starscream began to give birth, alone, Optimus drove at the head of a phalanx of his men. In the convoy’s trailer was a large crate that supposedly contained the prototype and a squadron of GI Joes. Desiree and her motorcycle were accompanying the spies to the Decepticon fortress, but GI Joe wanted a piece of Megatron as much as Optimus did.

When the Decepticons appeared on the radar, Optimus waited until the very last moment, just as they were cresting the hill, to call the Autobots to battle and transform. Humans poured out of his trailer, climbing on top of it and aiming weapons at the oncoming Decepticons.

The Decepticons and Autobots met and clashed, Optimus and Megatron finding each other in the clash and coming together in a climatic struggle.

It was only when Jazz commed from back at the base that they pulled out, ending the ruse. Starscream was safe and the mission was a success. The only thing on Optimus’s mind was his carrying mate.


	19. Bring Him Home

Starscream was spread across a berth, gripping the edges and wailing. Desiree was reading a series of monitors and bellowing at Ratchet. Ratchet was shouting and cursing right back at the woman.

“Don’t you bloody Cybertronians know anything about giving birth?” She hissed. “Get him on his knees, brace him against the wall and someone call Optimus and get him here, ASAP!”

Ratchet snarked back at her as he helped Starscream turn over.

“GADS! Get an apple! Get something he can bite!” Desiree continued. She eyed Ratchet and touched her comm. “Something’s wrong. He’s in a lot more pain than he should be.”

“Seems about normal for giving birth.” Ratchet griped something aloud and offered Starscream a simple bar of soft metals that he dug his dentas into without hesitation.

“He barely grunted from pain with Orion. He cried, but it was emotional distress. I tell you, something’s wrong!”

“All right, all right. I’ll get some scanners and probes and check it out.” Ratchet brought out a scanner and waved it over the Seeker. Suddenly, he went quiet. His near-constant stream of curses and abuse was stopped dead.

Starscream turned his helm sharply to watch the medic as he took the scan again.

Ratchet put out a hand and stroked Starscream’s back. “Keep pushing with the contractions. The first one should be born soon. Looks like it’s going to be a little Seeker, as well.”

“What are you not telling me?” He squawked sharply and thrashed. “What happened? What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything. I need you to relax, Starscream, and keep pushing. There might be some complications with the energon lines, but that’s all.”

Desiree pressed her comm. “There’s not one alive, is there?”

“Not a beat. They look like they died some time before this as well. They’re all far too small and there’s a lot of fluid between them.”

“Indicating that the stress killed them before they could develop.”

“Exactly. I hope Optimus gets here before we have to explain that to Starscream. I don’t want a Seeker going insane in my medbay without his mate here.”

Desiree privately agreed.


	20. Chapter 20

Optimus came bursting into the medbay when Ratchet called and wrapped his strong arms around Starscream, supporting his back. 

Starscream hugged the convoy back as he rocked and quaked with the contractions. Desiree and Ratchet had fallen back into a pattern of bitching at each other as they worked around the two mechs.

Optimus kissed Starscream’s helm and soothed servos down his spinal strut. Desiree was monitoring fluid levels and carped something at Ratchet. Ratchet snapped back before bringing over a cube of coolant infused Energon.

Optimus coaxed Starscream into drinking the coolant as he struggled with the birth. The overheating Seeker was still panicked and the convoy’s presence seemed to be helping him a great deal.

Desiree winced when she saw the first dead sparkling and flinched at the second, but Ratchet froze as he picked up the third. Looking up, he mouthed. “He’s alive!”


	21. Rigel

Starscream held Rigel in one arm, Orion in the other. Optimus had brought their sparkling to him after the birth finished.

He leaned against Optimus, tired. "Thank you, for saving us."

"I wish we had come sooner." Optimus stroked his faceplates.

"Megatron will pursue us."

"I don't care. We're together now, that's all that matters."

Silently, Starscream agreed.


End file.
